Download System and method for optimizing user notifications for small

US 8,839,273 B2
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system which indicates to the system that the user desires to
have both a start time and an end time, the end time is used to
change noti?cation modes. Alternatively, the user could
select a menu option related to switching the particular mode
of the system. In yet other embodiments, the user performs
switch the noti?cation mode back to its original state.
In an embodiment of the invention, the software could
other functions in order to indicate to the system that the
modes should be switched.
Once the system receives an indication to switch noti?ca
individually, wherein the user manually associates an
support the automatic pro?le switching for each appointment
appointment with a particular pro?le. That pro?le is then used
for all reminders occurring during that one appointment.
tion modes, display operation 804 displays a mode menu,
Alternatively, the user may set a predetermined pro?le for all
appointments of a particular type, e. g., busy, out of of?ce,
tentative, free, etc. Therefore, the user does not have to manu
ally set a pro?le for each appointment individually, but can set
a pro?le based on the type of appointment in a global manner.
In such a case, the device automatically enters pro?le switch
ing mode once an appointment of a predetermined type
such as mode menu 114 shown in FIG. 1. A mode menu
displays the available mode options to the user. Moreover, the
menu may provide a visual indication to the user relating to
the current or existing noti?cation mode, such as a check
mark next to the current mode.
Following the display of the mode menu, receive operation
begins.
806 receives an indication as to the selected noti?cation
mode. That is, the user enters or selects one of the menu
Flow 900 may be described by way of an example. Assume
a calendar application has stored a one-hour meeting that
begins at 1:00 PM and ends at 2:00 PM. Further assume that
the meeting event has an associated predetermined noti?ca
options from the mode menu. Selecting one of the menu
options causes the system to receive a signal related to the
selected menu option. Once receive operation 806 receives a
selection, application operation 808 applies the selected
to the device, all noti?cations presented to the user are done so
tion mode, called “meeting.” At 1:00 PM, on the day of the
meeting, the calendar application recognizes that a calendar
event has started. At this point, the calendar application deter
based on the selected mode. Additionally, the small computer
device remains in the selected mode until the system receives
mines that a predetermined noti?cation mode has been asso
ciated with the event, such as at determination operation 902.
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mode to the small computer device. While the mode is applied
another indication to select a different sound mode, such as in
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operation 802.
FIG. 9 is a ?ow chart of the operational characteristics of an
alternative embodiment of the present invention related to
automatically setting the device into a noti?cation mode. In
an embodiment of the invention, ?ow 900 only executes when
the user has selected “automatic pro?le switching” as part of
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back into normal mode, or whatever mode the device was in
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prior to the start of the meeting.
When noti?cation events occur, the application or the oper
ating system must decide if a particular type of event is
presented to the user and the type of noti?cation that should
be used. That is, in one embodiment, the application deter
the user preferences. Otherwise, the automatic noti?cation
?ow is not performed and the user must manually enter the
device into a particular noti?cation pro?le. Alternatively, the
device 100 may be con?gured to automatically enter different
noti?cation pro?les and the user may select to turn off this
mines which mode the device is in and determines, based on
the mode, what type of noti?cation to present to the user. In
such a case the application provides the operating system with
a control signal indicating to execute the noti?cation accord
particular noti?cation preference.
The ?ow 900 begins when a calendar-related event occurs.
Hence, in this embodiment, the small computer device has a
calendar-type application capable of storing appointments
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and other calendar-related items. Moreover, the small com
puter device has an internal clock system thereby allowing the
small computer device to remind the user of upcoming events
scheduled in the calendar application.
Upon the occurrence of a calendar-related event, determi
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nation operation 902 determines whether a predetermined
event when the event is created and/or edited. Alternatively,
events independently of the creation or editing of the calendar
event. If determination operation 902 determines that no pre
determined noti?cation mode has been set for the particular
calendar event, ?own branches NO to end operation 908. In
such a case, the noti?cation mode is not changed and any
subsequent noti?cations are presented to the user according
to the existing noti?cation mode.
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event, the device is automatically switched back to the previ
ous noti?cation mode. That is, since calendar events typically
prior to providing the user a noti?cation, the device deter
mines the mode that the device is in and presents the noti?
cation according to the associated pro?le. Moreover, the
device may be automatically placed in a predetermined mode
based on a stored calendar event to relieve the user of the
responsibility of remembering when to place the device in a
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tion 904. Application operation 904 automatically applies the
selected mode to the small computer device and any subse
quent noti?cations are presented to the user according to the
selected mode. The device remains in the selected mode until
the end of the calendar event. Upon the ending of the calendar
environments. These pro?les maintain a listing of the various
type of noti?cation events, e.g., key presses, reminders, wire
less communication signals, phone calls, text messages, etc.
Additionally, the pro?les maintain a list of noti?cation types,
e.g., audible, vibration, visual, etc. wherein each noti?cation
event is associated with one or more noti?cation types. Thus,
Otherwise, if determination operation 902 determines that
a predetermined noti?cation mode has been associated with
the calendar event, ?ow branches YES to application opera
ing to the type of noti?cation stored in the particular pro?le.
In an alternative embodiment, the application merely con
ducts a control to the operating system to present a noti?ca
tion to the user. In that case, the operating system determines
what mode the device is in and presents the noti?cation to the
user according to the stored pro?le.
The above-described invention allows the user to con?gure
sophisticated pro?les relating to different modes or expected
noti?cation mode has been set for the event. In one embodi
ment, the user may set a particular noti?cation mode for an
the user may associate noti?cation modes with calendar
The calendar application causes, through the operating sys
tem, the small device to be switched into meeting mode, such
as at operation 904. At 2:00 PM, the calendar application
recognizes that the meeting has ended and causes, through the
operating system, the small computer device to be switched
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Although the invention has been described in language
speci?c to structural features and/ or methodological steps, it
is to be understood that the invention de?ned in the appended
claims is not necessarily limited to the speci?c features or
steps described. Rather, the speci?c features and steps are
disclosed as preferred forms of implementing the claimed
invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be